In response to the fast-spreading Zika virus now declared a global emergency, the San Diego Blood Bank (SDBB) announced Friday that those who have recently traveled to Mexico, the Caribbean, Central or South America should not donate blood – at least for a while.
The SDBB – the primary supplier of blood to the majority of hospitals in San Diego County – is encouraging blood donors who have traveled to the aforementioned countries to wait 28 days after returning to the United States to donate blood.
Zika, a mosquito-borne virus, usually causes mild illness but is now suspected in an unusual birth defect, and possibly other health issues. The disease has been predominantly linked to Latin American countries and the Caribbean. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared Zika an international emergency as the disease spreads.
Robert Baracz, vice president of marketing for the SDBB, said the blood bank is curbing donations from travelers “simply as a safety precaution,” even though, as always, the organization needs blood.
Zika virus can be present in the blood of an infected person who has no symptoms of illness, the blood bank says.
At this point, there have been no Zika cases reported in San Diego County.
Last week, officials with the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) said the insect tied to the virus – the Aedes aegypti mosquito – has been detected in San Diego, in small numbers, over the past 18 months. The mosquito, which experts believe transfers the Zika virus, has also been detected in Los Angeles County.
Health officials said the Department of Environmental Health is tracking the mosquito locally. So far, health officials have not found any of the mosquitos detected in San Diego County to be carrying the Zika virus. Health officials said Aedes aegypti mosquitos are not native to California and do not travel far.
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For more information on Zika, click here. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also has information on the virus here.
